a very good prayer - heads up pastors

My father's memorial service was perfect. It "felt like him" and if he attended I'm sure he was quite pleased. We opened with a beautiful ballad on bagpipes, had beautiful classical music, and celebrated him in a humble, fun, honorable way.

One of the pieces of the service that was the most powerful - and the perfect way to close and give closure - was the pastors closing prayer. It started out seeming like a classic prayer for forgiveness, and it encompassed so much more. I'm going to give you the cliff notes below and hopefully do it justice:

Paula, Dad's pastor, invited the attendees (in silence, we aren't holy rollers) to:
lift anything left unsaid,
lift anything unforgiven (by us or by Dad),
any grievances, worries or friction, or pieces unresolved
and give them to God.

For in the end, let there be nothing left between us and the person who has died but love.

I can't imagine a better prayer for any memorial service. Regardless of how kind, loving, and wonderful a person is, when they leave a full life of people and moments, I imagine there are always things to be said.

on parents and pets

I believe there's a link between our parents and pets. If all goes as it should, we have them in our lives, receive love from them unconditionally, love them unconditionally right back . . . and do this knowing full well that they may leave the Earth before we do.